Tangential flow machine

Abstract

A tangential flow machine can be operated both as electric propulsion and as a generator, having a jacket housing which can have flow passing around it on an outer side, the profile of which is formed on a first front-side opening, and tapers to a second front side, on which a second front-side opening is formed. Between the two front-side openings, there extends a flow path along a main axis, and with an electrical machine, which on the jacket housing has a stator and a rotor that is supported so as to rotate within the stator. The rotor defines a free rotary axis and has a rotor ring and an arrangement of rotor blades which each extend from the rotor ring, radially to a free edge and the free edges of the rotor blades, in the projection direction parallel to the main axis.

Claims

1. A tangential flow machine which can be operated both as an electrical drive and as a generator, comprising: a jacket housing around which flow can pass on an exterior side, the profile of which tapers to a first front side on which a first front-side opening is configured, and which tapers to a second front side on which a second front-side opening is configured, wherein between the two front-side openings a flow path extends along a main axis, an electrical machine which on the jacket housing has a stator and a rotor supported so as to turn within the stator, wherein the rotor defines a free turning axis and with this a rotor ring and an arrangement of rotor blades each extending radially inward from the rotor ring to a free edge, and the free edges of the rotor blades in the projection direction parallel to main axis delimit a free circular surface, wherein the rotor blades are formed by baffle plates which extend in the direction of main axis at least over the entire axial length of the rotor ring; and wherein the electrical machine can be switched between generator mode and propulsion mode.

2. The tangential flow machine of claim 1, wherein the baffle plates extend out in the direction of main axis bilaterally over the axial length of the rotor ring.

3. The tangential flow machine of claim 1, wherein the baffle plates relative to main axis extend over a radial height which amounts to less than 50% of the inner radius of the rotor ring.

4. The tangential flow machine of claim 1, wherein the baffle plates in a projection direction parallel to main axis generate projection surfaces, which extend in a projection circular ring surface between the free circular surface and the rotor ring over at least 75%.

5. The tangential flow machine of claim 1, wherein the baffle plates are configured symmetrical.

6. The tangential flow machine of claim 1, wherein the jacket housing is configured symmetrical.

7. The tangential flow machine of claim 1, wherein the jacket housing in the direction of both front sides has a cW value of a maximum of 0.4.

8. The tangential flow machine of claim 1, wherein the jacket housing on the first front side has a cutting edge delimiting the first opening and on the second front side has a second cutting edge delimiting a second opening, which on sides facing away from each other make a transition into a circumferential outer side, which, over its extension parallel to the main axis, has a continuous convex contour.

9. The tangential flow machine of claim 8, wherein both cutting edges delimit a free opening surface, which at maximum is as large as the surface delimited by the rotor ring.

10. The tangential flow machine of claim 1, wherein the jacket housing is situated on the exterior side of a water-borne vehicle.

11. The tangential flow machine of claim 10, wherein the jacket housing is supported so as to pivot.

12. The tangential flow machine of claim 11, wherein the jacket housing is held on a pivotable control rudder of the water-borne vehicle.

13. The tangential flow machine of claim 11, wherein the main axis of the tangential flow machine is pivotable in the vertical direction.

14. The tangential flow machine of claim 11, wherein the tangential flow machine is adjustable via an electrical or electronic control device, which adjusts the alignment of the main axis of the tangential flow machine in dependence on an alignment of the water-borne vehicle.

15. A water-borne vehicle with at least two tangential flow machines of claim 1, wherein the jacket housing of the tangential flow machine, is supported relative to a preset travel direction of the water-borne vehicle on towing sides facing away from each other.

16. The tangential flow machine of claim 2, wherein the baffle plates relative to main axis extend over a radial height which amounts to less than 50% of the inner radius of the rotor ring.

17. The tangential flow machine of claim 2, wherein the baffle plates in a projection direction parallel to main axis generate projection surfaces, which extend in a projection circular ring surface between the free circular surface and the rotor ring over at least 75%.

18. The tangential flow machine of claim 3, wherein the baffle plates in a projection direction parallel to main axis generate projection surfaces, which extend in a projection circular ring surface between the free circular surface and the rotor ring over at least 75%.

19. The tangential flow machine of claim 2, wherein the baffle plates are configured symmetrical.

Description

(1) The figures depict an exemplary embodiment of the invention. Shown are:

(2) FIG. 1 a perspective view of an invention-specific tangential flow machine

(3) FIG. 2 a top-down view of the tangential flow machine in direction II of FIG. 1

(4) FIG. 3 a longitudinally bisected view of the tangential flow machine according to FIG. 1

(5) FIG. 4A a view of a water-borne vehicle with a tangential flow machine according to FIG. 1

(6) FIG. 4B a perspective view of a control rudder device of the water-borne vehicle according to FIG. 4A, and

(7) FIG. 5 a perspective view of a bow section of a water-borne vehicle, on which at least two tangential flow machines according to FIG. 1 are provided.

(8) FIGS. 1 and 2 show a tangential flow machine 2, which can be operated both as a generator for production of electric current from a mass of water passing through or as an electrical drive for a water-borne vehicle. With this, tangential flow machine 2 has a jacket housing 4, in which an electrical machine 6 is accommodated.

(9) Jacket housing 4 is configured so that it can have tangential flow of water on an outer side in essentially disturbance-free fashion. For this, jacket housing 4 forms a circumferential outer surface 8 with a convex contour. In the profile of jacket housing 4, this convex outer surface 8 extends constantly from a first cutting edge 10, which is situated on a first front side 12 of jacket housing 4, to a second cutting edge 14, which is situated on a second front side 16 of jacket housing 4, as can especially be gleaned from FIG. 3.

(10) First cutting edge 10 and second 14 delimit a first front-side opening 18 and a second front-side opening 20, between which a flow path 22 of tangential flow machine 2 extends along a main axis A. Flow path 22 extends through a rotor 24 of electrical machine 6, which is supported so as to pivot relative to a stator 25 of electrical machine 6. With this, stator 25 is admitted as depicted within the convex profile of jacket housing 4. On rotor 24 and on stator 25, means which are not described in more detail are provided for conversion of mechanical motion energy into electrical energy and vice versa, which can assume any known and suitable form. For example, these means can include electrical coils which act in concert with an arrangement of magnets.

(11) Additionally, rotor 24 has a rotor ring 26, from which an arrangement of rotor blades extends into flow path 22. With this, the rotor blades are formed by baffle plates 28, which extend out to both sides over the axial length of rotor ring 26 and form a free edge 30 inward in the radial direction. As can especially be seen from FIG. 2, these free edges 30 of baffle plates 28 delimit a free circular surface 32, which, when rotor 24 makes a turning motion in operation, extends about main axis A and about turning axis D of rotor 24. This free circular surface 32, together with rotor ring 26, delimits a projection circular ring surface 34, which in the projection direction PR parallel to main axis A, is at least for the most part covered by projection surfaces PF of baffle plates 28.

(12) As can be especially gleaned from FIG. 2, the arrangement of baffle plates 28 extends transverse to projection direction PR over at least 75% of projection circular ring surface 34, or preferably completely covers it. In addition, baffle plates 28, within projection circular ring surface 34, have a radial height rH relative to main axis A in the radial direction, which amounts to less than 50% of radius R of flow path 22.

(13) As can be gleaned from FIG. 3, first cutting edge 10 on first front-side opening 18 delimits a free opening surface F1, which in the depicted embodiment is somewhat smaller, and in any case at most is as large, as a surface FR delimited by rotor ring 26. Preferably, free opening surface F1 is at most as large as a net annular surface which results from surface FR minus the maximum cross-sectional surface of baffle plates 28 extending in an orthogonal plane to main axis A. In addition, second cutting edge 14 on second front-side opening 20 delimits a free opening surface F2, which likewise at maximum is as large as surface FR delimited by rotor ring 26 or the net annular surface.

(14) As can further be gleaned from FIG. 3, the baffle plates 28 are configured symmetrical. In addition, also jacket housing 4 is configured symmetric relative to an orthogonal plane to main axis A, and at both front sides has a cW value that is at most 0.4. Due to this symmetry of tangential flow machine 2 and due to this relatively small cW value acting in both directions along main axis A, tangential flow machine 2 can thus be operated in both flow directions at relatively high power.

(15) In addition, due to this it is also possible to switch electrical machine 6 between a generator mode and a propulsion mode. For this, tangential flow machine 2, as depicted in FIG. 4A, is connected via an electrical or electronic control device 36 with a storage battery unit 38. Via this control device 36, an adjustment can be made of whether the storage battery unit 38 is electrically charged by means of tangential flow machine 2 or tangential flow machine 2 is to be propelled by means of storage battery unit 38.

(16) In this way, tangential flow machine 2 for example serves optionally for charging storage battery unit 38 in the form of an onboard battery of a water-borne vehicle 40, or as an electrical drive for same. For this, tangential flow machine 2 as depicted in FIGS. 4A and 4B is for example held on control rudder 42 of a control device 44 of water-borne vehicle 40. By this means, tangential flow machine 2 together with control rudder 42 can be pivoted by means of a handle, such as a tiller 46 or a control wheel, which is not depicted.

(17) Tangential flow machine 2 is usable both as part of a main propulsion system for electric propulsion of water-borne vehicle 40 or as part of an auxiliary propulsion system for active support of control maneuvers, wherein electrical energy recovery is possible in generator mode of machine 6.

(18) In the embodiment as per FIG. 5, tangential flow machine 2 is supported via a pivoting joint 48 on water-borne vehicle 40 so that its main axis A can be adjusted along a pivoting direction SV that in essence is vertical and/or along a horizontal pivoting direction SH. In the depicted embodiment, pivoting joint 48 is for example attached onto a stabilization fin 49 of water-borne vehicle 40, which particularly with retrofitting attachment makes possible easier assembly of tangential flow machine 2.

(19) Water-borne vehicle 40 according to FIG. 5 has a tangential flow machine 2 on each of two bow sides BB and BS which face away from each other. Each of the tangential flow machines 2 are connected via an electrical or electronic control device 36 with an operating stand 52 and or a sensor technology 54. By means of this sensor technology 54, it is continually possible to determine a listing, yawing and/or pitching angle of water-borne vehicle 40.

(20) Depending on the particular current control signals that are issued by control stand 52 and/or sensor technology 54 to the electrical or electronic control device 36, tangential flow machines 2 can be aligned vis--vis the rest of water-borne vehicle 40 and controlled in regard to their performance. In this way, water-borne vehicle 40 can, via control stand 52, by means of tangential flow machines 2 themselves or at least manually be controlled with the support of tangential flow machines 2. As an alternative to, or in addition to, this, the tangential flow machines 2 can automatically be aligned in dependence on the signals of sensor technology 54 via the electrical or electronic control device 36 and be controlled in their performance, to compensate for a current listing, yawing or pitching motion of water-borne vehicle 40 and through this, to actively stabilize it.